Category: Outdoor Adventure
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Recently I saw a fascinating video on Facebook. In this ad for Nature Valley, 3 generations in families were asked what they did for Childhood Fun. Consistent with current research, the grandparents talked about unstructured outdoor play, the parents enjoyed playing outdoors with neighborhood friends, and current kids apparently spend most of their time indoors on electronics. The ad finishes by challenging us to provide opportunities and nurture our children’s connections with Nature.

VIDEO: When you were a kid, what did you do for fun? 3 Generations answer. (Nature Valley Ad)

I have read many articles and books which bemoan this progression. (See list of some of my favorite resources about the importance of Nature Connection HERE.) I know my friends and I often talk about how to get our kids (and ourselves) outside more often. I was curious to try my own (very informal) survey. I asked friends to share lists of childhood fun from their own families. I received 23 responses out of 31 people I asked about. Here is a summary of the results:

Active Play (mostly outside):

54% of all responses, #1 category for all adults

It was interesting to notice that the mentioned activities were not organized or run by adults: swimming, playground, playing in barn, making scarecrows with family, wrestling with siblings, riding bike/scooter (often all over town), roller skating, ice skating, informal backyard sports with neighbor kids, sledding, hiking, tag and team games with friends. I also included active indoor hobbies/classes in this category: gymnastics, dance, ballet, Tae-Kwon-do, and rock climbing.

Imagination Play (mostly inside):

25% of all responses, #1 category for children & teens

This category includes both solo and group activities: dress-ups, Legos, small toys (hot wheels, figurines, Littlest Pet-Shop animals), collections of objects, puzzles, board games, and raising butterflies. A number of respondents wondered what happened to these objects after they grew up. (I have written before about our youngest daughter’s love of imagination play and costumes. You can read about it HERE.)

Other Childhood Fun Activities:

Reading:8%, not mentioned by children or teens

Arts & Crafts: 7%, scattered across all ages

Screen Time:6%, up through young 30s

Obviously this was a very informal survey of a handful of family members and friends. It was interesting to me to notice that the results do NOT match experts’ concerns about rampant growth of uncontrolled screen time as the primary form of Childhood Fun in the past 20 years. (Read a typical article HERE.) This discrepancy could be explained by a number of variables: My personal friends and family tend to be biased toward outdoor, active pursuits. Participants may have self-censored, not reporting screen-time which is considered “bad” today. Wording of the survey question was too broad to elicit accurate responses regarding entertainment. For example, I did not ask how much time was spent on various activities but merely asked what the participants remembered as fun when they were young. In addition, by asking for a list of what the participants did for “fun,” the question filtered for activities that were perceived as enjoyable or special, not just routine everyday activities.

“When you were a kid, what did you do for fun?”

I’m very curious how YOU would respond to this question…and what your own friends and family members would list. Many of us had an enjoyable time sharing stories as we reminisced about childhood days. Join us in discussing this question with others and let me know YOUR answers—either in the comments on this blog or on facebook.

Today celebrates the birthday of the Appalachian Trail. When I saw the below post on Facebook, I remembered … the Appalachian Trail is the same age as my mama! No wonder she has always felt drawn to it. She turned 81 exactly 1 month ago. And today we celebrate the same AT Birthday.

“Happy Birthday to the Appalachian Trail! Completed on August 14, 1937, the A.T. is a 2,180-mile long footpath that traverses the Appalachian Mountains from Georgia to Maine. Conceived in 1921 and built by private citizens over the next 15 years, the entire Appalachian National Scenic Trail has been conquered by over 17,500 thru-hikers. “ – US Dept of the Interior

I love that our country sets aside and protects wild places for future generations to enjoy. Unlike most National Parks which celebrate one specific historic or natural place, the Appalachian Trail is constantly changing. It is a living footpath—with new trail being added every year. Land continues to be acquired to move more miles of official path off of roadways and into the woods. As I have explained in other posts, the trail must be re-routed occasionally because of fallen trees or flooded out walkways. And with better practices for erosion control, volunteer trail workers add switchbacks and run-off ditches.

In my family (as I wrote HERE), my mom has enjoyed spending time backpacking with her children and her grandchildren. She still day-hikes but is no longer able to carry the weight needed for overnight trips on the Appalachian Trail. But I look forward to the day I can pass on her legacy to her great-grandchildren. I will certainly tell them stories of “Grandma Bubblewrap” each year as we celebrate both her birthday and the AT birthday!

It’s the AT Birthday today! May we be celebrating (and using) this woodland footpath for centuries to come!

Find more info about the Appalachian Trail HERE on my blog or HERE on the official website.

Find ideas for a Woodland birthday party including the above cake HERE.)

Dog-Days of Summer:

Why is the hottest part of the season called the “Dog-Days of Summer”? Contrary to popular belief, it was not given this name because dogs respond to the heat by stretching out on cool ground, tongues hanging out, panting. July 3 – August 11 was actually called the dog-days by the Ancient Greeks who believed that when the dog-star Sirius rises with the dawn, it gives extra heat to the Sun’s energy.

Rather than joining the dogs and listlessly lazing by the pool or in an air-conditioned room, here are 10 things to get up and go do before the summer is over:

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES:

Take time for stargazing. Drive somewhere with fewer lights and stare up at the sky. This year the peak of the Perseid Meteor Showers will be on the night of August 12/13, 2018. If they sky is clear, you could see as many as 60-70 “falling stars” streaking across the sky each hour! Adopt this as a new tradition to celebrate the dog-days of summer each year. (Click HERE for more information about the Perseids.)

Spend time near (or in) water. Floating in the river or enjoying the wind and wake of being in a boat are both excellent ways to relax and cool down on a hot summer day. Bonus points for being near a waterfall or a beach with waves!

Go for a walk in the park. Stare at the trees. Feel the breeze on your skin. Notice tiny things around you—insects, wildflowers, textures of rocks or tree trunks. If it is an open area, find creatures and other funny shapes in the moving clouds.

Spend an evening around a campfire. There is something special about relaxing with friends around a crackling fire, watching sparks drift upward. Make s’mores and savor your favorite drink. Share stories or sit in companionable silence as you stare at the flames.

INDOOR ACTIVITIES:

Eliminate unused, worn-out “stuff.” I know, I know, this doesn’t feel like something enjoyable to do. Trust me, letting go of things that no longer serve you well is a great way to usher out the dog-days of summer and get ready for a new season. So dump the piles of paper in the recycling bin, throw bags of worn-out stuff in the trash can, and haul boxes of no-longer-used clothes and kitchen gadgets to the thrift store. Set yourself free!

Put your feet up. Sometimes your pet has the right idea on the sweltering dog-days of summer. Lounge in the hammock, gently rocking in the breeze, while you enjoy your favorite drink. Or go for a leisurely ride on your friend’s pontoon boat, feet propped up, enjoying the wind in your face.

Play an old fashioned game. Dig out a well-loved board game from the cupboard. Find the badminton or croquet sets buried in the garage. Make it a cut-throat, competitive tournament if desired. Or spend a few quiet hours introducing the next generation to the non-electronic games you enjoyed as a kid!

BE A LOCAL TOURIST:

Enjoy a sidewalk café. Pretend you are in Europe as you slowly savor every bite of a decadent dessert. Sip your fancy coffee while you listen to snippets of conversations swirl around you from nearby tables.

Explore a local tourist destination. Do an on-line search for “Things to Do” in your area. Finally spend the money to visit the world-class museum in a nearby city. Wander the midway at a local fair. Buy a treasure for your living room at the annual craft show. Enjoy the entertainment at a cultural festival.

See a live show or attend a sports event. Whether amateur or professional, there are certainly opportunities for being entertained outdoors during the dog-days of summer. In our area, we can enjoy Shakespeare in the Park, weekly outdoor concerts and summer theater productions. There are baseball games, golf tournaments, and bicycle and running racers to cheer on as they race.

Now is the time to squeeze in a few more activities before the dog-days of summer turn into the crisp, cool days of fall. What other ways do you and your family have fun in the summertime? Please share your best ideas in the comments below!

(Did you miss these posts? Read about some of our local discoveries HERE. Find ideas about finding your town’s history HERE.)

Too many people, too much noise, no quiet to be found… Visiting the Big City can be completely overwhelming, sending anxiety higher than the looming skyscrapers. And when you are “Nature Girl,” how in the world do you survive a week of chaos?

Andowen has been begging to visit New York City for a few years now. Some of her favorite books and movies have connections to that place. She was thrilled to find the (imaginary) sites she wanted to see. And both of us agree that we are in no hurry to return to the hustle and bustle of that metropolis. As I have explained HERE and HERE, our daughter needs extended time in nature to find balance in life. Even I was overwhelmed as we braved the chaos. We were in desperate need of some Forest Therapy!

Fortunately for both of us, we discovered that there are bits of Nature to be found, even in a Big City. We reminded each other to use our senses to connect to the non-human world:

We noticed Nature’s colors and changing light.

We listened for flowing water, found in tiny parks.

We enjoyed the wind and waves on our ferry rides in and out of the Big City.

Rather than getting frustrated at a long wait for the ferry to load and unload (we were continuing on to the next stop), we focused on the dance of the seagulls playing in the wind.

Once our stress levels were lower, we began to notice that New York City is filled with quiet corners and tiny places to savor Nature. Here are a few of our favorite discoveries:

At the World Trade Center memorial, the story of the Survivor Tree reminded us of the healing power of Nature—both for itself, and for grieving people.

We found tiny courtyards with gardens and benches, a peaceful haven for weary walkers (often hidden beside churches).

If you go to NYC, don’t miss walking “The Highline”—an unused elevated train track converted to a few miles of walking trail complete with gardens, set high above the busy streets.

We also found little playgrounds every few blocks, covered by shady trees. I enjoyed sitting on a quiet bench with children’s laughter and chatter covering the noise of traffic. Andowen was excited to find her favorite “spinners” to play on.

These were some of the ways we found connections with Nature to help us survive a visit to the Big City. I’m curious how YOU thrive in a busy place—whether vacationing or living there?

What’s your favorite dinosaur? Class in school? Comfort food recipe? Where and when were your favorite adventures? Who’s the best band? Professor? Relative? We grow up being asked to pick favorites in most areas of life. Most often our lists change over time. But there are usually a few items that stay near the top, cherished for a lifetime.

With my love of wandering and my quest for “Big Epics” (read more about Big Epics HERE), it seems appropriate that I share the locations of my 7 favorite adventures with you. These are places I return to over and over—in person or in my dreams. (This list of places I have visited at least twice came together quickly, but it is presented in chronological order of when I first traveled to each location. There would have been days of dithering and second guessing if I had to actually rank my choices!)

Mammoth Cave National Park, KY – I love the coolness and the quiet of being deep underground. (I know, I know…many folks HATE being in a cave. Humor me!) As one of the longest cave systems in the world, there are a wide variety of tours at Mammoth Cave. I’ve been on most of them over the years. My favorite was going on the “Wild Cave Tour” when I was 16. “Exploring” the cave by headlamp and crawling through holes and narrow canyons was my first taste of big adventure. Even better was taking my young adult kids to the park for them to go on the same tour decades later. On my bucket list with this site is returning to go on the newly re-opened boat tour at the lower levels of the cave! (More info about this Favorite Adventure HERE )

Killington Ski Resort VT – I was in middle school when we first went to Killington for Spring Break. It was a drivable distance from Ohio to this large ski area, which allowed my family to vacation here year after year. Trips became sporadic as my sisters and I grew up, went to college, and started our own families. Occasionally, we 3 generations gathered to enjoy the same runs. This place tops the list of favorite adventures for most of our family members. There is a possibility that we might manage to return in 2020 for a week of skiing with FOUR generations! You will certainly read about it if we pull that off. (More info about this Favorite Adventure HERE )

Mayan Ruins in Yucatan, Mexico – I first spent a summer in the Yucatan when I was in high school. There is amazing scope for imagination here—remnants of a great civilization, daydreams of actually experiencing that culture, and adventure stories of archeologists rediscovering the ruins and eventually deciphering the language carved in stone. We returned as a family in 2002, when our youngest daughter was just a baby. Someday I would love to explore the Mayan ruins found in Guatamala and Belize. (More info about the famous ruins at Chicheen Itza HERE. The less crowded sites are even more magical to visit…)

Hadrian’s Wall across N Yorkshire, England – I admit it, I’m a history geek. Which made this site a stunning adventure. Imagine—a wall built millennia ago by the Romans is not just still standing…but you can actually WALK on it! The wall was not particularly effective at keeping the barbarian outsiders of northern England out of the civilized settlements. But it remains an amazing monument to a long-gone civilization’s determination and organization. I have visited small areas of Hadrian’s Wall twice—with a different daughter each time. I dream of walking the length of the wall with youngest daughter someday. (More info about this Favorite Adventure HERE.)

Banff National Parque, Alberta, Canada – I love mountains of any size and shape. But my very favorite mountains (so far) are the Canadian Rockies. Steep mountains with snow caps surrounding brilliant turquoise blue glacial lakes—stunning! We spent time here during our nine months of wandering in an RV. And we returned on our road trip a few months ago when we visited a dear friend who now lives in this beautiful location. (More info about this Favorite Adventure HERE. The first photo is at iconic Lake Louise. The recent photo is at Lake Minnewanka.)

Chaco Culture National Historic Site, NM – Scattered across the high desert of New Mexico are ruins of another great civilization. Chaco Canyon receives few visitors because it is in the middle of nowhere and is only accessible by 20 miles of dirt roads. Because of the low volume of guests, people are allowed to wander unaccompanied through the ruins. This is another location with great scope for imagination as we walk through doorways and peek through windows to see the same scenery enjoyed by the Ancient Puebloans (Anasazi) 600 years ago. Because we lived nearby for three years, we had the privilege of seeing this site in different seasons, changing light, and varied weather. (More info about this Favorite Adventure HERE.)

The Appalachian Trail (GA to ME) – As I have described elsewhere on this blog, since I was a teen I have dreamed of taking extended backpacking trips on the Appalachian Trail. To me, this is the very definition of a “Big Epic.” Youngest Daughter and I have completed over 500 miles of the 2200 mile-long path through the woods and up and down the mountains of the Eastern USA. We plan another trip for later this fall. I don’t know if we will ever complete the entire trail—but we are having fun along the way! (More info about this Favorite Adventure—at the official site HERE and our reasons for heading to the woods HERE.)

(Why did I choose to list SEVEN Favorite Adventure Locations? Because that’s my favorite number! I talk more about that on my Go-Fund-Me page. Please take a moment to read HERE about how you can help me reach my goal of becoming a Certified Forest Therapy Guide to help other folks fall in love with being outdoors and connecting with Nature. Read about my love of the number 7 on the Rewards for Donors page HERE.)

BONUS: WHALE WATCHING (There are many places to do this. We enjoyed Kenai Fjords National Park, AK – Walking to (and tasting!) ancient glaciers. Taking a boat tour along the mountainous coast and seeing amazing wildlife, including WHALES. Exploring the history of the region. What’s not to love about visiting this park? Someday I dream of returning to Alaska to revisit my Favorite Adventures in that wild land. And I would be happy to go on Whale Watch Tours in other locations as well. (More info about this National Park HERE )

I would LOVE to hear about YOUR Favorite Adventures. Please leave me a comment below…

Hop in the car and head to the nearest National Park. Sounds like a good vacation outing to me. But far too often, this simple activity is met by complaining from the back seats: “Do we HAVE to…?” “This will be BOring…” Turn down the whines and help your kids look forward to what they can “Explore, Learn and Protect!” by getting involved in the Junior Ranger program at more than 400 National Park sites.

Our family discovered this fabulous hands-on challenge when we wandered the western USA in an RV nine years ago. Daughter completed the information scavenger hunt, earned her first badge and was sworn in as a Junior Ranger at Arches National Park when she was just seven years old. (As a paparazzi extraordinaire, I must confess that somehow I have no photos of this momentous occasion. In my defense, I had no idea that this would be more than a one-time entertainment.)

The quest for ever more badges has continued. Wherever we go, we look for National Park sites along the way for daughter to add to her collection. She started adding the replica badges to a lanyard. Then we bought her a vest to show off her collection. Eventually, she had so many badges that she made a wall hanging to display all of them. This past weekend, she earned badge #100 at the Statue of Liberty! Woohoo! Way to Go, Andowen!

Originally this program was targeted to children ages 7-13 years old. There has been enough interest that anyone of any age is now allowed to become a Junior Ranger at each location. Let’s walk through the process together:

Pick Your Park to Visit—Whenever we drive somewhere, I check the list of parks at nps.gov to see where we could stop along the way.

Go to the Desk at the Visitor Center and ask for a Junior Ranger Book—Complete the required number of activities. It is perfectly acceptable for family members to help. (In the process, we often learn more than our daughter does!) Because we consider these activities to be part of our homeschooling curriculum, we insist that the entire book must be finished, in the car if not at the park itself. (You can read more HERE about how we include travel activities as part of school.)

Many Different Activities Help Complete the Booklet—Watch the park movie. Take a tour. Explore the plants and animals outdoors. Write poetry or draw pictures. Go on an information scavenger hunt in the museum. Interview a Ranger.

Take the Booklet Back to a Ranger—At minimum, he will check to see you have fulfilled the requirements. Sometimes, she will discuss what you have written or explore what you have learned. A few of the rangers have taken time to encourage our daughter to imagine how she might get involved with the National Park Service as a career.

Raise Your Right Hand and Be Sworn in as a Junior Ranger—promising to continue to explore National Parks, do one’s best to protect the parks, and share what is learned with family and friends. Then shake hands with the ranger and accept your new badge.

Add the Badge to Your Collection—In our family, that means adding a few pages to yet another scrapbook as well as pinning the latest badge or patch to the custom wall hanging.

BONUS: Here are links to my daughter’s favorite National Park Sites that we have visited (so far).

Read more about Chaco Culture National Historic Site (in New Mexico) HERE. Andowen has many happy memories of this park since we lived near it for three years and visited often.

Read more about Craters of the Moon National Monument (in Idaho) HERE. This was one of the most desolate yet fascinating sites we have seen.

Read more about Kenai Fjords National Park (in Alaska) HERE. Andowen enjoyed tasting a bit of ice from Exit Glacier. And she was completely WOWED by seeing orcas and a whale fluke on the boat tour!

We would love to hear from you—what is YOUR favorite National Park to visit?

We are traveling again—this time on a road trip to the Northeast USA. Our Lego Tiny-Mes have, of course, joined us. Here’s the next installment in THEIR adventures. They have a new travel buddy. (If you haven’t yet met our Tiny-Mes, read their introduction HERE.)

While we were busy packing, Tiny-A and Tiny-S insisted we had to stop for a few minutes and meet their new friend. They introduced us to Tiny-Dox (or TD)—an adorable little dachshund. Like most “doxies,” TD is ALWAYS curious. Although he dearly loves his people, he was apparently a bit bored and was looking for new places to explore. They proposed he join us as their special travel buddy.

We had no interest in taking responsibility for a pet while traveling. After all, we leave our own dog at home. But the Tiny-Mes insisted they would keep a close eye on TD. They pointed out he is well trained and quite obedient…at least MOST of the time! We have apparently become softies because we said, “Okay, Let’s GO!”

Our itinerary for this trip includes stops at a number of National Parks and National Historic Sites for Andowen to collect more Jr. Ranger Badges. Tiny-A and Tiny-S enjoyed learning more about the fight for Women’s Rights. “We would have joined the men and women marching for equality for women,” declared the Tiny-Mes.

Poor Tiny-Dox. He was awfully bored inside the museum. The movie was too loud. There were no critters to hunt. There were no comfy chairs for dozing. We reminded TD that we couldn’t leave until Andowen earned her badge. “Quick,” he woofed! “I’ll help you finish your workbook. Let’s get out of here!”

Tiny-Dox much preferred our day-trips to the Atlantic Ocean and the Coast of Maine. The Tiny-Mes pose for a photo on the rocky shores below the Pemaquid Lighthouse. But where is TD going?

“Woof,” bellowed Tiny-Dox from a mini-cave in the rocks. “Look what I found! It smells deliciously strong and salty…”

All that walking in the fresh salt air made everyone hungry. We headed to town, looking for tasty seafood. The Brass Compass Café in Rockland smelled perfect! We could hardly wait for the food to arrive at our table. The plates were mounded with wonderful food: fish and chips, a haddock club sandwich, “chowdah,” and crispy onion straws. YUM!

Ohhhh, Tiny-Dox! What in the world are you doing? … “Woof!”

We have spent the past few days with friends in Maine. But we will be camping for most of the nights on this road trip. We all agree that the free camping in a city park beside the Erie Canal was the best (so far). Andowen and I each know our part of the “dance” of putting up our little tent. The Tiny-Mes stayed out of our way, trying to prevent TD from exploring. Once the tent was set up, Tiny-A and Tiny-S decided to hang out at the little camp.

Tiny-Dox promised to behave if we let him join us on our walk along the canal. Seems like he makes a good travel buddy, after all. He was shocked at how large the gates were for the lock. Even TD was careful not to go over the edge! That would be a long fall…

As the sun began to set, we headed back to our little orange tent. Time to get ready for bed. But TD wandered off with the Tiny-Mes running to catch him. His powerful nose was teasing him with new smells. He quickly bounded into a hole at the base of a tree. “Come back, Tiny-Dox! The fairies don’t like visitors!”

Tiny-Dox is a good little fella, but far too curious. It’s hard work for the Tiny-Mes to keep their travel buddy out of trouble… Finally, all three Tinies returned to the tent. TD immediately burrowed deep into the sleeping bag. Dachshunds love to find hidey-holes, especially for sleeping. Hmmm…I wonder what mischief Tiny-Dox will get into later in our trip?

To Be Continued…

(Get more information about the Women’s Rights National Historic Site in Seneca Falls, NY, HERE. Find more information about the Pemaquid Lighthouse HERE and about the Brass Compass Café in Rockland Maine HERE.)

Seems like everyone these days is urging us to get outside, disconnect from our electronics, and connect with the non-human world. But what if we LIKE our indoor, multi-media, virtual world? Here are 5 ways to avoid the risk of nature connection. (On the other hand, if you want to access the enjoyment and the health benefits of time in nature, just do the opposite of these suggestions!)

(Learn more ways to connect with nature HERE. Read about how nature connection helps my daughter manager her anxiety HERE. Consider ways to be an advocate for others HERE. )

Vacation is about to start and we get weary just looking at all the things we still need to cross off our get-out-of-town To-Do lists. We have to arrange for all of our mundane chores to be covered by someone else while we are gone: feed the dog, water the plants, change the kitty’s litter box, and mow the lawn. Don’t forget to call the bank so they won’t freeze our accounts when we use our cards in new locations. Whew! If you are like me, you can’t imagine adding yet MORE things to that pesky list! But stick with me…taking time to do these 10 simple things will make your adventure much more enjoyable!

Give Yourself SPACE to be Spontaneous – Take another look at your itinerary. Delete a few things (or at least change them to “penciled in,” only-a-possibility status). This allows you to take advantage of unexpected opportunities or wander through a store that looks interesting. Who knows? You might be lucky like we were on our Epic Road Trip. I found my long-lost Scandinavian ancestor in one town. Andowen found a dragon to ride in another store-yard!

Plan for DELAYS – Leave extra time in your first day and your last day of the trip. This way if there is a traffic jam on the way to the airport, or flights are delayed, or bus drivers are on strike, you have time to make an alternate plan. It helps to avoid planning activities back-to-back for the same reasons. (Besides…you need time to sit back, relax, and just do nothing occasionally…that gives more energy for finding adventure!)

Don’t Leave Your HOBBIES Behind – Bring a few art supplies (warning: not the entire craft room!) or a favorite card game. Do an internet search to see how you can access your favorite activities at your destination. Perhaps there is a game café, or a model rocket club, or a quilt store to explore. Your fitness club or zoo memberships might be reciprocal. Beyond enjoying an afternoon doing your favorite things, this is also a great way to meet local folks with similar interests to your own.

Make LISTS (and lists of lists…and a master list of lists…oh wait! Nevermind…that’s my own obsession speaking…HA!) – It helps to have your itinerary written out and a packing list so you don’t forget necessities. (Plus, a packing list helps ensure you bring home all the items you left with.) The fewer things you are trying to keep track of in your brain, the more you can relax and actually enjoy the adventure!

Choose Your RESCUER! – It is always wise to leave your expected itinerary with someone back home. This way, when an alligator swallows your cell phone (so you no longer respond to texts) or you quit posting photos on fb because you have been captured by a Yeti, someone will know where to start looking for you! Oh wait! Hopefully, you have a marvelous time on your adventure with the only unexpected events being happy ones. (But leave that itinerary with someone…just in case!)

LIGHTEN Your Load – The less you have to schlepp around with you, the happier you will be. Trust me on this one! Set out all the things you think you might need on your trip…then put half of it back in the cupboards. (Unless you are a travel guru who has already mastered safe travel with the least amount of “stuff”–in which case, I would love to have you write a guest post to share your packing wisdom.)

You Can (probably) BUY IT There – This is a corollary to the previous suggestion. Unless you are going to Outer Mongolia or Antarctica, there will most likely be a way to purchase any items you forget to bring. My husband assures me this also applies to food—there WILL be grocery stores at our destination. (I’m not yet convinced this is always true—thus we travel with bags of extra food, just in case. Unless I’m backpacking…then I’ve mastered the quick resupply in towns near the trail.)

Switch to Your Holiday WALLET – There is no reason to carry the zillion and one things you usually have in your purse or even in your wallet. Grab your medical insurance card, your ID, and a credit card and stuff it into a Ziploc baggie along with some cash. (Or separate these items into a few different bags and hide them in seperate dark recesses of your bags.) You won’t need your library card, your local coffee shop punch-card, or your craft store discount card. Really!

DETOX the Frig – For years after we were married, I was grumpy with my husband when he insisted we had to sweep the floors, clean the toilets, and empty the trash before we could leave on a trip. But it is certainly enjoyable to walk back into a clean, fresh-smelling house when we get home from a long trip! (Shhh! Don’t tell him I admitted he is right…)

Make a Final LIBRARY Run – Perhaps you don’t have a pile of books to return. Maybe you don’t “need” a few rom-com fluff books for the beach. But there are audio books to be loaded on your phone and ebooks to be added to your kindle. I’ve been told library accounts are free. Now if I could just get organized enough to avoid the fines!

Make sure your tickets and ID are in hand and there is gas in the car. Lock the doors behind you. And ENJOY your adventure!

So you can’t get time off work for the next few months. Or you’ve already used up all your vacation days for the year. What in the world can you do in your boring corner of the world? Try going on a History SCAVENGER HUNT!

Some places are obvious: the restored train depot beside the tracks, the fancy mansions hiding behind wrought iron fences. The factory ruins turned into event center at the local park.

GATHER INFORMATION: Find the stories that go with the obviously old buildings in town. But also look for hidden treasure! Do a quick internet search for the history of your town. Stop by your local tourist information center to ask about maps of local landmarks or walking tours. Talk to the old-timers in your neighborhood. They often have stories to tell about long-ago businesses or events in your area. Even the gift shop or local book store might have clues—found in the books and post cards they sell.

GO FOR A WALK: The best way to discover local history is to walk. At the slower pace, you will notice cornerstones, dates on buildings, and signs describing historic events. (We found out that the county office building used to be the local hospital. Even some of the old-timers didn’t know that tidbit of information!) Talk to folks as you pass by. Workers explained the reason for the swampy low spot near one house—it used to be flooded and frozen in the winter to harvest ice blocks to be stored and used year round. Another family proudly told us about the blocked off passageway in their basement—possibly remnants of a stop to help protect runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad.

WANDER THE SIDE STREETS: Pay close attention to what might be around the next corner! There will most certainly be hidden gardens and quirky architectural details. But you never know what other treasures you might discover. We found a colony of gnome-homes in our little town. But that’s another story for another day…